


Black Saintess

by KeiKeiYuki18



Category: Original Work
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Aristocracy, Beastkin, Ecchi, F/F, F/M, Humor, M/M, Magic, Reverse Harem
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-11-07 22:13:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20824643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KeiKeiYuki18/pseuds/KeiKeiYuki18
Summary: One day thirteen students are trapped inside of a classroom and are transmigrated into another world. Yet only one of them found herself at the opposite end of the spectrum. Rhia was just a normal otaku yet suddenly she is thrust into this new world and is now being praised as a Black Saintess. Having the responsibility to save the children of the High-Goddess Echidna, somehow involves her going against her old classmates. Just how will Rhia's new life turn out?





	1. Prolong: The Thirteen Transmigrators

**Author's Note:**

> Kei-Kei Yuki: Okay so this the first time I have posted one of my original works on here. I hope those who read and enjoy my fanfics will also give this story a try.

A girl sat in the back of the classroom, browsing through mangas to read on her phone. Class was currently on break as only a few were in the classroom, and some had separated into groups to happily chat amongst their friends. Others were on their phones, texting or doing whatever to bypass the time. Suddenly, something strange happened; the walls in the classroom began flashing red and black, and a robotic female voice spoke. 

**{Prepare for transmigration! Prepare for transmigration!}**

“What the heck is going on?~!” frightfully exclaimed a handsome teenager, who was surrounded by girls that had been flirting with him earlier. Only now they were shaken up by what was happening.

“...This can’t be happening.” Staring out the window was a girl with long dark hair, wearing a pair of glasses on her face, eyes locked on something out the window. The sky had turned completely black; the vibrant trees and grass had been dyed red; a bird that was passing by the window was frozen in mid-air. Seeing this caused the fear that was building up inside all of them to break out.

“Mom! Mom, please pick up the phone!” cried another girl, who kept trying to call her mother yet all she got was static. What was once a peaceful classroom had turned into panic. Students were either crying, trying to get in touch with their parents; one guy even picked up a chair and tried to break the window while others tried to rush out using the door. 

Watching all of this mayhem happen around her was the same girl who was browsing through mangas to read on her phone, hands trembling once she saw that all of their attempts failed. The chair did nothing to the window, the door for some reason would not open thus locking them inside the classroom, and the phones were disconnected. Suddenly the female robotic voice from earlier returned with a new message.

**{Total Number of Transmigrations: 12! Your new life begins... now}**

  
  


Just like that, the earth beneath their feet ripped itself open, causing everyone inside to fall into the abyss. Yet only one student had this thought on their mind:  _ ‘Twelve? But there are thirteen students in this classroom! What... is happening to us?’ _ This was her last thought before her entire world went black and her old body deteriorated into nothing, leaving only her soul floating in an empty void of space. 

Somehow this one soul became separated from the others. A pair of large transparent hands reached down and gently held the tiny frightened soul in the palm of her hands. “It’s okay little one. Your destiny is different from those who arrived with you. I would explain to you, but I must leave that to my child as this is all the power I can use just to bring you to me.”

Bending down, a pair of rose petal colored lips kissed the tiny soul; a sweet bell-like giggle escaped once she saw how the soul turned scarlet and acted all shy due to her actions. “Such a sweet child. Hopefully, you can save my children before it’s too late.” A tear slid down that woman’s face, seeing that this tiny little soul in her hand wanted to comfort the woman but something began pulling at her. 

“It’s now time,” said the woman, watching as the tiny soul flew up into the air and got sucked into her transmigration system. “The fate of our people now rests in your hands, little one,” she murmured softly. The light in her eyes began to dim, snow-white eyelids closing. Going back into a deep slumber, she rested on a massive enriched silver throne-like chair. Piercing her milky white transparent skin were rose thorn vines; each time, a drop of blood bore life to a new bud. 

Five different swords were pierced through her flesh, each highly ornamented and emitted a dangerous sensation that even without touching them, they could scorch the skin of anyone who came into contact with them. The swords were stabbed in five different locations, such as her thighs, shoulders, and the last one was embedded deep in her chest. Such conditions should have left anyone in agonizing pain, yet the woman bound to the chair only gave off the image of a beautiful maiden in a deep slumber.


	2. Black Saintess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A girl wake up and find her life completely different from before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kei-Kei Yuki: Here is the first chapter! I hope you all enjoy~! XD

Rhia was unable to recall her encounter with the mysterious woman. Groggily opening her eyes, the first thing she took in was a pink ceiling. The limbs of her body felt so weak and heavy that she barely had the strength to sit up. "Wha... Where am I?" Her eyesight took time to adjust, but after a while, things started to clear up. Looking towards her left, Rhia finally noticed that she was inside a bedroom. The cloud-like material that she was currently lying on was a bed and the pink ceiling that she saw before was actually the canopy that was draped over the queen-size bed. 

Looking around, Rhia noticed how luxurious and vast the room was; the first thing that stood out was how all the Gothic European furniture was black and pink. Causing her to fully wake up and realize that she was not in her bedroom that belonged inside of her workaholic aunt’s two-bedroom apartment. Now, most people would've been disgusted or put off by the varied shade of pink that covered every inch of the room but not Rhia, seeing how pink was actually one of her favorite colors. Too bad she was unable to enjoy the decoration as fear began to set in.

_ 'Okay... The last thing I remember... Oh, that's right! The classroom was acting weird and a mysterious robotic voice began to speak. Everyone was in a panic and we could not leave the room. The next thing I knew, everything went black and I woke up here in this strange bedroom.' _ Holding a hand to her chin, Rhia's mind flashed back to the events of what happened earlier, such as the blinking color of the walls, the panicked cries of her classmates, feeling a sense of dread seeped into her heart. The fluttering of butterflies in her stomach made her feel sick, breaking out into a cold sweat as she started to come to one conclusion.

_ 'This scenario is starting to sound like all those isekai light-novels I enjoy reading. But... no way was I actually transported to another world! I mean, that’s just a straight-up fantasy; no way was I...’ _

"Ah, you're finally awake!" Rhia was brought out of her thoughts when she heard a sweet melodious voice call to her. Wide eyes following the majestic figure that regally walked inside the room, the first thought that came to mind was,  _ 'A walking, talking porcelain doll!' _ A blush graced Rhia’s cheeks as she stared at the doll that stopped beside the bed and graced her with a bewitching smile that left Rhia in a trance.

“It’s good to see you up and about. We were all a little nervous about the soul transplantation, but I’m relieved to see that it indeed all worked out fine,” said the beautiful doll with long golden blonde hair that pooled down his shoulders like a veil of light that reached down passed his waist. From the looks of it, the doll was male, resembling a young child around the ages of thirteen or fourteen. Those glistening ruby orbs stood out against his candle wax smooth skin. 

The doll’s beauty was utterly breathtaking, but at the same time, Rhia couldn't help but shiver from the dangerous aura that emitted from his body. The doll was the personification of a beautiful nightmare--you know you should stay away but the person was so beautiful that you couldn’t help but fall under their spell. Shaking her head, Rhia brought herself back to reality, trembling fingers gripping the plush sheets that rested underneath her. 

“W-Who are you? Better yet, w-where am I?” Her voice tried to stay strong, but in fact, Rhia was terrified. Earlier, Rhia was just a regular high school student, going through her regular lonely day only to witness something bizarre happen out of the blue. Something, that in no way should have taken place, but somehow it did and now she has awoken, lying on a bed that definitely did not belong to her, and then this mysterious beautiful child suddenly appeared. 

Rhia was close to going into a panic but had to keep herself calm so she could get some answers first. Showing a sweet gentle smile, the doll set out explaining some things to the confused girl. “We have been keeping an eye on you for a long time, Rhia. Echidna, the High Goddess of Life and Death, bestowed her children with a prophecy. Saying that a black saintess will one day come to our aide and free her children from the oppression and discrimination that the children of the High-God, Aether, expressed towards us.” That snow-white beautiful face explained all of this while wearing a serious expression.

“Wait! Hold up a sec! Gods/Goddess? Black Saintess? Discrimination? Oppression? All of this is too much to take in! I mean, I’m just a normal highschool girl?!” exclaimed Rhia, clutching at the fabric that covered her body, distress displayed in her eyes. Taking deep staggering breaths, she locked eyes with those glistening ruby orbs and finally asked, “Where... Where am I by the way?”

“Welcome to the world of Alesia; in this day and age, it is the children of Aether who stand supreme and dominate the lands, heartlessly slaughtering and enslaving the children of Echidna.”

“B-But why...?” asked Rhia, watching how those ruby orbs brewed with intense hatred.

“They see us as abominations, a plague that threatens this world, and wish to wipe all of us out of existence. That is why we need you. With your help, there is hope for us all.” The doll’s voice was soft as he spoke, reaching out to grasp her hands, but Rhia wouldn’t let him as she began clutching her head.

With her hands clutching her head, Rhia hysterically screamed, “No way! I’m not some pure-hearted godly heroine! Nothing about me is special! Oh no! Nonono! Dear God... I was actually transported to another world!” Unable to deal with the reality that was right before her very eyes, once again Rhia found herself in a world of darkness. 

* * *

It was two hours later when Rhia finally woke back up and the first thing she did was cry. For a whole hour, she cried until her tears ran dry and finally she just felt drained as she contemplated her situation. Now Rhia is someone you would describe as a shy introvert who mostly stayed to herself and didn’t have any true friends. 

Rhia had no problem spending most of her time alone, watching anime, reading mangas, and only just a few months ago did she start to get into light-novels. She loved fantasizing about the possibility of her being the main heroine in those stories, going on an epic adventure, experiencing a sweet romance, being a badass, but it was just a fantasy! While the aspect of such a journey was nice, in the end, it was just a fantasy meaning none of it was real nor was it ever going to happen!

Fantasy is nice because the stories are not real, an escape from the harsh reality of the world. But that didn’t mean she wanted to live in an actual fantasy type world! Her original life wasn’t special by any means. She was an otaku, living with her a workaholic aunt, who barely paid any attention to her. She was a loner at school and by no means was she attractive, having dealt with her own occasional bullying. 

Yeah, tears had been shed and vengeance filled her mind but she always had her anime and mangas to heal her soul and to get her through the next day. So yeah, her life somewhat sucked, but she also didn’t want to be here as well. She didn’t have the aspects of a heroine, intelligent, super kind, without flaws, and breathtakingly beautiful. Which brought her back to after she cried her heart out, she finally got off the bed and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

What reflected back nearly scared her out of her mind! No longer was her skin a cinnamon brown with a few blemishes here and there but instead was a smooth charcoal black. Thankfully she still looked human but her skin wasn’t that only thing that stood out. Her plain thick black hair was now a silky neon pink and cut short; it stuck out like a sore thumb but uniquely matched this new body of hers. 

_ ‘Gotta say, these eyes ...are utterly breathtaking.’ _ Head bent forward, nose touching the cold surface of the mirror, Rhia couldn’t help but admire the pair of glittery citrine eyes. They were like two gold stars that lit up the dark void of the galaxy. The person in the mirror looked young and youthful as the only thing she was currently wearing was a thin short white nightgown. 

Rhia was brought from out of her thoughts when there was a knock at the door and she heard a cute child’s voice call out to her. “Saintess, may I come in?” asked the voice, which Rhia allowed and saw a girl with light blue hair enter her room.

“Hello, I’m your personal maid LuluBell! If there’s anything you need, just call my name and I’ll be there in a flash to lend you help!” energetically spoke the adorable little girl who stood in her room. Just like the male doll, this girl also had the appearance of a doll with skin as white as candle wax, and a pair of twinkling sapphire blue eyes looked at her eagerly. She honestly reminded Rhia of a soft and cuddly sheep.

“Umm... thank you but can you not call me saintess? Rhia would be just fine.” Rhia honestly felt uncomfortable being called a saintess. Hearing this, the adorable girl dressed in a cute maid attire energetically nodded her head, showing her a big smile.

“Lady Rhia's name is very nice! You don’t know how eager all of us is to finally meet you! Oh, my lord told me to escort you to his room to have dinner. I better I get you there before I get myself into trouble!” babbled LuluBell, escorting Rhia out of her room and down the long black and white checkered print tile floor. The wall was coated in a layer of jet-black paint; gold interior adorned the hallway. Before Rhia knew it, LuluBell had led her to a double door with gold intricate carvings and knocked on the door twice before stating their presence.

“My Lord, I have brought Lady Rhia as you requested,”

“Good, send her in.”

Shooting her a smile, LuluBell pushed open the doors and beckoned Rhia to walk inside. Once inside, Rhia saw the same male doll from earlier sitting at a table, beckoning her to come over with his hand. Rhia walked over and took a seat. She sat right across from the beautiful male doll, sitting poised and regally in his chair. Taking a look at the table, Rhia saw many exquisite looking dishes; the aroma practically had her mouth salivating. “Please dig in, I ordered the chef to prepare all of your favorites.”

Rhia was ready to start stuffing her mouth until something about that sentence made her pause and stare into those ruby eyes that were watching her every move with interest. “How do you know my favorite dishes?”

“The Goddess and I have been watching you for a long time, Rhia. Whenever Echidna peered into your world, watching over you, everything she saw was passed onto me. We have all been patiently waiting and preparing for your arrival. I know this is all sudden and that you are scared and confused. It’s just, our situation is not so great.” Despite his youthful appearance, those eyes made him seem much older, vacant and distance, unable to hide his grief as Rhia felt as if her heart was gripped by the boy’s pain.

“Look... this is all too much for me to take in right now. So for now, just let me contemplate my decision. I promise I won’t take too long.” Rhia wasn’t trying to be cold-hearted or anything, but this was a big decision, and the smart thing for her to do instead of rushing in head first was to think about what she should do next.

Even though it wasn’t the answer he was expecting, it was at least better than her flat out refusing which pleased the young boy with the bewitching appearance. Standing up from his seat, he made his way towards Rhia and finally introduced himself. “I, Vladimir Alucard Noapte, Leader of the Noapte Clan, eagerly awaits your decision.” Just like a gentleman, the boy gently grabbed her hand and his cold lips softly kissed the back of it. Such actions caused heat to rush to Rhia's dark cheeks, glistening ruby eyes peeking out from underneath his veil of long golden blonde hair.

“Y-You’re w-welcome... Wait! D-Did you just say... v-vampire?” A cold douse of fear suddenly filled Rhia's heart, hoping what she heard was just a lie. The young boy stood with grace. A nonexistent breeze caused the curtains to flutter, revealing the blanket of darkness that covered the skies. Only a quarter of the moon was peeking out from the clouds, casting rays of light on Vladimir as if he was some type of holy figure. 

“Technically I’m only half-vampire since the other half is demon,” calmly answered Vladimir, showing off a dazzling soft smile that did nothing to hide the sharp protruding fangs in his mouth. Too bad, Rhia was once again unconscious to be bewitched by the young vampire yet again.


	3. New Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kei-Kei Yuki: Here is another new chapter of Black Saintess! I hope everyone would please take the time out and read it. Also, for those of you who are curious about Rhia, her appearance was inspired by Catty Noir from Monster High.

“Okay, so let me get this straight. You are all vampires?" It was a new day and Rhia sat in a chair, surrounded by three maids, one of which was LuluBell who she met yesterday. But the other two she just met today, sitting in a chair as they got her ready for the day.

"All the members in this castle belonged to the Noapte Clan, one of the noblest and most prominent of all the vampire clans," stated Lulubell, applying a light pink shade of lip gloss to her lips.

"Okay, so let me just ask. What am I? I mean, I know for sure that I'm no longer human," said Rhia as she looked at her dark skin and glistening starry citrine eyes. Oh, and she couldn't forget her natural neon pink hair!

"Your new body is a half-breed, born from the parents of a dark elf and a fairy. Which by itself is a very rare pairing but beneficial, since both dark elves and fairies carry within themselves a large amount of mana. When we acquired this body, the original had already passed on. When the high-goddess brought you into this world, your original body could not withstand the transportation and disintegrated. Which means..." Lulubell shot Rhia a sad look who immediately understood what it meant.

"That I can no longer return to my original world. So... I'm stuck here." Rhia had already cried and vented her grief, but the reality of it still hurt. Even though the only thing she truly missed... was the internet!

_ 'Good-bye wifi! I will truly miss you!' _ Rhia mentally shed tears, briefly reminiscing over the time they had spent together.

"L-Lady Rhia, I c-could go downstairs and fetch you some dessert if you want." This suggestion came from Lily, the maid who was brushing her hair. The girl held the resemblance of someone in high-school with a sweet and humble appearance. She was a bit shy but also kind as she was trying to cheer Rhia up.

"Or I can go out and fetch a few handsome males for you to entertain yourself with. Or do you prefer ladies? We can do both if you want!" said Beth, another maid who, unlike Lily, resembled a woman in her mid-twenties, confident and mature. Her rose-red lips were pulled into a lascivious smile as Rhia didn't know how to guard against this woman's outspoken and fearless attitude.

"I'm good but thank-you, Lily and Beth!"

"Lady Rhia, I know this must be a lot for you to take in, but I hope we can make your life here happy!" smiled Lulubell, revealing those adorable cute dimples that at this point Rhia couldn't hold herself back and pulled the cute vampire maid into a tight hug.

"So adorable! Ah, my heart has been healed~!" squealed Rhia as Lulubell was just happy to finally see her new mistress show a smile.

After looking at the antique model clock on the wall, Beth spoke and said, "Okay, ladies, it's late enough. Let's get ready and escort Lady Rhia to the master for lunch."

After sitting down for over an hour, Rhia was happy to be standing back on her feet. Making her way to the black frame full body mirror encrusted with pearls, Rhia saw herself in a carnation pink spaghetti strap dress; the chest area was cut low into a V-shape. The entire dress was covered in gold sequins that looked as if a bunch of butterflies was woven into the material. Her back was mostly exposed as the only thing keeping the dress in proper place was a bunch of lace. The girl in the mirror was unreal as if she was a butterfly that had transcended and taken human form. 

Her neck was ringed by a pink choker, adorned by a single gold stud holding a crystal gem, and multiple chains with droplet-shaped amethyst and pink gems attached. Gold jeweled butterfly-shaped earrings hung from her ears. Staring down at her hands, she saw that her nails were painted the same shade as her dress which was must've been done when she was unconscious. A few elegant bracelets were worn on her small wrist.

“Our lady truly looks stunning~!” praised Beth; Lulubell and Lily also threw in a few compliments that made Rhia smile. Never had she ever consider herself pretty or even attractive, sad as it may sound. But this person in the mirror, even though her skin, hair, and eyes were all odd or some may find frightening, this new body of hers was truly unique and pretty in its own way. 

A growl from her stomach brought her attention to it. Recalling that before she could get a bite of food, she fainted after Vladimir's big revelation. “Alright, ladies, please lead the way.” Rhia’s hunger was getting to her and she was determined to at least put some food in her stomach before any more big news. 

Following the same path as yesterday, Rhia saw a few more maids gracing the hall this time. Each stopped to bow before her before continuing on their way. "Umm, will this be happening a lot?" whispered Rhia, not so sure how to act with a bunch of people bowing to her.

"Everyone here knows that you are the Black Saintess sent to us by the High-Goddess Echidna and has been informed by Master Vladimir to treat you with great respect. It might feel a little weird but you'll get used to it," said Beth as Rhia knew it would take a while for her to get used to people treating her like a high profile figure which in some sick sense was now her new role in this world.

_ 'Why couldn't I’ve been transmigrated into a supporting character. At least they have an easier path to take,' _ mused Rhia, and before she knew it, she was right back in the same room as before. Draping the windows were blood-red curtains; a round table sat in the middle while from above was a huge gold diamond chandelier. Vladimir was already waiting for her like the perfect gentleman.

"Happy to see you again, Rhia. Let's hope you don't faint on me this time," he joked bringing a smile to Rhia's face.

"I hope for the same!" Which was the actual truth because Rhia didn't know how she was going to survive if she kept fainting all the time. Soon a handsome butler delivered their lunch, and once the silver lid was removed, her lips bloomed into a smile.

"For today's lunch, Lord Vladimir recommended the chef to prepare one of your favorites from your old world. Monteo Crisp sandwich, sliced diagonally, just like the way you prefer. The ham from the Devil Pig has been cooked to perfection, slightly crispy and tender and is paired with melted Devil Cheese. To go with today's lunch is a nice refreshing drink of Peach-Lemon juice." Going into detail was the Butler who delivered the lunch only to blink his eyes owlishly once he saw Rhia was not paying him any attention.

A moan released from her lips as she already took a bite out of her sandwich. “So cute." Ruby red eyes warmed at the sight of Rhia enjoying her lunch, before turning to the butler, "You are excused,” Vladimir said to his servants as the other maids also excused themselves once it was obvious that their master wished to be alone with Rhia. 

“Now we should talk about those who were also transmigrated with you here to this world,” said Vladimir. Hearing this, Rhia almost choked on her food. Quickly taking a drink of the Peach-Lemon juice, the tangy mellow taste of sweet peaches added with the slight sourness of lemons sent her tastebuds signing to the heavens. Only once she was okay did she regain her bearings.

“So they were also brought to this world,” Rhia recalled the other twelve classmates that were in the room with her. Even though she was not close to any of them, she could still recall the faces of a few of them and wondered how they were faring.

“Skaudība is close to awakening. A ruthless Calamity-Class monster that lies slumbering deep in the ocean, guarding the tomb of its deceased master, the water goddess nymph, Hiva. Before her defeat at the hands of her twin sister, Hiva vowed that after the span of a thousand years, Skaudība would awake and avenge all those who were responsible for her torment. Meaning the High God, Aether, his consorts, and the children they created are in grave danger.” calmly stated Vladimir as if this issue had hand had nothing to do with him.

“So let me guess, in order to defeat this great evil, the High-God Aether decided to call forth heroes from another world to grace this one and defeat the monster? But why? Most of them are just normal students just like me,” asked Rhia.

“‘Cause the gods are prohibited from bestowing their power on those who originally belong to this world. A rule which was created by the gods before them, but nothing says that they can not bestow their power onto those who come from a different world,” he emphasized as Rhia got a better understanding of why the High-God Aether summoned her classmates here.

“So they plan to bestow their powers on the souls of my classmates, roping them into putting their lives on the line, facing a threat that by no means should have been their responsibility in the first place. Wow, I wonder what their reaction was when they were informed of this?” Rhia curiously wondered, knowing that few probably found this whole situation as a dream come true, falsely believing they were actual heroes like the ones in comics and anime. 

Whiles others were smart enough to realize that the gods only saw them as tools to do their bidding. “We, the children of Echidna, have nothing to fear since Skaudība only targets those responsible for it's master’s death. Long ago, a battle between the High-God Aether and the High-Goddess Echidna took place. Aether despised the children of Echidna that went against his ethics and could no longer tolerate her actions. When the battle came to an end, Echidna was destroyed and sealed away; the same went for the other gods as a few of them have their tombs spread throughout the Dark Continent.”

“I’m really not getting a good feeling towards this Aether fellow. He sounds like a narrow-minded jerk.” Rhia unknowingly had her cheeks puffed out, showing a cute frowning expression that caused Vladimir to laugh.

“Words which I very much agree with. The majority of the children of Echidna live in the Dark. Before she could accept her defeat, the high-goddess still had enough strength to gather all the mana in the Dark Continent and cast forth a barrier, protecting us from those who wish to do harm upon us. Sadly those living in settlements outside the Dark Continent were not so fortunate.” Rhia keenly watched as those ruby orbs glistened with pure hatred, pale hands gripping onto the table cloth so hard that she was surprised it didn’t tear.

“Ever since the barrier was first cast, none of us have been able to leave this land. Meaning we have no clue how life is outside the border... But it doesn’t take a genius to guess that the situation is far worse than it was when the war first took place.” Calming himself down, Vladimir elegantly reached for his knife and began cutting his sandwich into smaller pieces before taking a bite. 

After hearing everything Vladimir had to say, Rhia finally asked the one question that had been on her mind since she first heard the phrase ‘children of Aether.’ “This may be late, but... who exactly are the children of Aether?”


	4. Tour of the Castle

"Forgive me for not explaining sooner. The Children of the High-God Aether consists of the elven race, who were delivered by the goddess Ambrosia, the fairy race, birthed by the goddess Titania. A breed of merfolk, birthed by the nymph goddess Daphne. The dwarfs were by the goddess Brigid, dryads by the goddess Elysia, and the angels by the goddess Fotini. Which brings us to our last race, humans, who were birthed by Aether’s principal wife, the Goddess Selene. Even though their magic can not compare to the elves, fairies, and angels, their vast population is supreme, dominating the lands outside the Dark Continent with their empires and kingdoms."

Vladimir set off explaining, standing in front of a chalkboard that had a bunch of diagrams drawn on it, wearing a pair of glasses, giving off the impression of a cute scholarly teacher. This whole scene left Rhia speechless as the girl couldn’t help but wonder, _ ‘Where did all this stuff suddenly come from?’ _

“Okay, so these are the children of Aether. What about the children of Echidna? Who exactly are they?” asked Rhia as Vladimir drew another diagram; above it was the label the children of Echidna.

“We, the children of Echidna, came into existence when she mated with her male consorts thus creating such races as the dark-elves, vampires, demons, dragonkin, beastmen, and titans. Minus the sirens, who’re Merfolk birthed by the goddess Hiva when she was once one of Aether’s consorts, but she was sabotaged by her twin sister who cursed her children to have heinous appearances. She was banished away and later pledged her allegiance to Echidna.”

"Yep, this guy is a jerk. So Echidna brought me here to save you guys but I'm nothing special. I don't even know where I'm supposed to start!" nervously expressed Rhia who knew her limits and abilities better than anyone. Though, there was a small part of her that wanted to reach out and help these people, she didn't want to get their hopes up... because reality was different from the imagination.

Anyone can believe themselves being a hero, but when faced with the reality of the situation, their true capabilities reveal themselves. Nothing about Rhia was outstanding; she was not a fighter nor did she possess the knowledge to advance worlds. She was normal and honestly very scared. These people saw her as their savior, but just how was she supposed to help them? 

Vladimir must have been able to read Rhia's emotions as he walked up to her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Instead of dwelling on whether or not you wish to take on the role of the Black Saintess, take this time to know your surroundings. Even in the Dark Lands there is trouble brewing and must be quelled before the children of Aether step foot upon these lands," gravely said Vladimir, narrowed eyes gazing out of the window. The skies were a dim gray void of sunlight. A hand held his chin.

“Such trouble as what? I thought everyone was only worried about the children of Aether?” curiously questioned Rhia to which Vladimir calmly answered.

“Such as those who wish to overthrow the Noapte Clan. Not to mention that now the magical barrier has broken, the flow of magic has returned through the lands. Meaning an increase of Monster Dens. Sooner or later, tribes and clans from other races will be requesting assistance, safeguarding their territory from monster invasions.”

“Why would others want to overthrow the Noapte Clan? Also, what are Monsters Dens, if you don’t mind me asking?” Just like a student, Rhia raised her hand to ask.

“When Echidna mated with the God Cadaver, they gave birth to nine children, founders of the nine vampire clans, but only one inherited a portion of her powers. That person was the founder of the Noapte Clan, and had a power which can only be carried down and passed on to the next heir. The Noapte Can stands at the top of the vampire pyramid, the noblest and most powerful, seen as the face of the vampire race, messengers to pass on the will of our mother, the High-Goddess Echidna. Except not everyone wishes to follow her instructions and are against the prophecy of the Black Saintess. Such insubordination should be terminated.” Rhia hugged her shoulders, trembling at the frosty look that gleamed through Vladimir's eyes. The young heir had the air of a predator, thirsting to shed blood. 

_ ‘I really don’t blame those who wish to not follow through with the prophecy. Especially since I know it's me!’ _ Such thoughts Rhia kept to herself as Vladimir continued on with his explanation.

“Now for your other question, Monster Dens are areas concentrated with magic where monsters make their home. Dungeons are known to always spring forth in those areas. When Echidna cast the barrier, the breeding of monsters decreased exponentially since most of the magic was concentrated into the barrier and not into the land. This is also the cause for why a single Dungeon has not risen since then. At least, that was the case before...” pondered Vladimir, eyes focusing back on Rhia, only to see her sipping her juice with giddy eyes that made him smile.

_ ‘Nothing like the refreshing cool taste of a nice beverage to cool the nerves,’ _ thought Rhia with a smile, unaware of the warm pair of eyes that were watching her.

“Rhia, would you like a tour around the castle?” he politely asked her. Giving it a thought, Rhia realizes she hadn’t explored much of this place and since she was going to be living here, she might as well check out the place. Placing her hand in his cold palm that was stretched out to her, Rhia accepted his invitation, “Sure, I’d like that very much.” She shot him a smile, though she couldn’t understand why his cheeks flushed red nor that adorably bashful look he was giving her.

Walking around the castle, Rhia encountered a lot of the staff, lower vampires that served the Noapte Clan. She was shown to the Dining Hall, where the staff sat and had their meals. And to the important rooms of the castle which led to her meeting Vladimir’s trusted advisor, Sebastian. “Greetings, Black Saintess.” His voice was deep and pleasant, expression stoic and cold, standing around six feet with ivy black hair combed neatly. He was a handsome man, too bad his aura was so cold that it kept people, like Rhia, afraid and at a distance.

“Ignore Sebastian, he’s like that to everyone, well there is-”

“Master, shouldn’t you and the Black Saintess continue with your tour?” Sebastian was quick to interject as this caused those ruby eyes to twinkle with a sense of mischievousness. Rhia could only stand there cluelessly, wondering why Sebastian was glaring heatedly at Vladimir.

“Still shy, I see. Anyway, let's continue with the tour, Rhia~!” Clasping his cold hand with hers, the two took a tour outside Now that they were outside, Rhia noticed the walls outside the castle were an ivory black just like the walls inside. “This garden long ago was taken care of by my mother, before she perished in the war. Back then, it was a lot more lively than it is today.” The glistening color of those ruby orbs dimmed as he pensively stared at a wall of dead flowers.

The garden itself went on and branched out into a massive maze. The two had been walking for a while and Rhia still had not seen the end of it. She stepped on the fallen dead petals that littered the brick pathway. Even though the grass was meticulously taken care of and still green, the void of flowers left behind an ominous feeling. 

Ears picked up the sound of rushing water, Rhia made her way to a seven feet tall stone water fountain. Growing around the intricate work of art were beds of dainty pink flowers that Rhia recalled were named mystic dreamer dahlia. “Wait! These flowers are still alive.” Bending down she ran her finger against the soft petals, happy to see that at least one breed of flowers was able to survive. 

“They're really pretty,” murmured Rhia, even though she wasn’t that much into flowers, a smile graced her face when she saw a butterfly touched down on the flower. The girl was so busy admiring the view, that she didn’t notice the shadow of the figure that stood behind her. Until she sensed something akin to killer daggers pressing down on her back and quickly turned around, only to see a beautiful woman with long raven hair standing there.

The woman had the face and body of a supermodel, standing there proudly. A hand sat at her wide hips; the revealing dress showed off busty cleavage. Since it was short, it also showed off her long pale legs that were clad in fishnet stockings. This woman possessed looks that were far superior to Rhia's current body. Sitting there on the ground, trembling under the woman’s icy cold glaze, she asked herself,

_ ‘Why is she glaring at me?’ _

“So you're the so-called Black Saintess that Vlad has been obsessed with since forever? The woman who he ignored me for? Ha, what an insult!” The woman mockingly laughed, looking at Rhia as if she wanted to tear her to pieces. Quickly coming to her aid was Vlad, standing protectively in front of her. At first, he just wanted Rhia to explore the garden on her own, wanting her to get used to the place until he felt the killer presence of another vampire in the area and came rushing over to Rhia.

“What are you doing here, Vivian?” growled Vladimir, to which the woman instantly changed faces, eyes adoring with love that was aimed straight towards him.

“Why, darling, I came to visit you~!”

  



	5. Dream Bloom Herbs

Rhia didn't know how to react to the scene happening before her very eyes. She watched the scary woman, who Vlad had called Vivian, rush towards the shorter vampire, throwing her arms around his neck. Due to the difference in height, this caused his head to be smothered by Vivian’s large bosom, and while some men would savor such a moment, Vlad only seemed annoyed. For some reason, this caused Rhia to look down at her own chest, comparing them to Vivian’s. 

_ ‘Not quite as big but still able to compete.’ _ Rhia nodded proudly at her new chest that competed with Vivian’s.

After becoming fed up with Vivian gushing all over him, Vlad pushed her away, dusting himself off as if he found Vivian’s germs disgusting. Once clean, instead of sparing any of his attention towards the busty beauty, he walked over to Rhia and helped her off the ground. "Please allow me to apologize for Vivian’s impolite behavior. She acts this way because of my uncle’s constant spoiling," Vlad sincerely apologized.

"There’s really nothing to apologize for!" Rhia wanted to clear the air of any misunderstandings. Glistening citrine eyes pointed towards the beauty standing with her arms crossed. "So she is your cousin?"

"Not only am I his cousin, but I'm also his betrothed! The future mistress of the proud Naotpe Clan!" Vivian proudly stated with her head held high, manicured hands placed on her waist. She boldly glared down on Rhia as if she was nothing more than a bug that she wanted to squash underneath her red heels.

"Vivian, that is enough! I already annulled our engagement, so stop spouting such nonsense!" Vlad turned around and firmly reprimanded Vivian but the beauty refused to listen as she argued back.

"I refuse to accept it! You are destined to live out the remainder of your life with me! But because of this woman, you refuse to accept me! It's all her fault-"

"Vivian!"

Vivian rant was immediately put to a stop when she sensed Vlad’s killer presence that felt as if it was squeezing the life out of her. Beads of sweat poured down her forehead, struggling to breathe. The weight of it was so heavy that her knees nearly buckled. Watching all of this play out was Rhia, unaware of Vivian’s struggle, seeing how Vlad had directed all his attention onto Vivian before gracing Rhia with a smile. "Why don't you head back inside; I'll meet up with you later," Vlad said to Rhia. Sensing Vivian’s glares of hate aimed at herself, Rhia agreed.

Once she was out of earshot, the smile on Vlad’s face vanished as he focused his attention on Vivian. "Uncle sent you here, didn't he?"

"You annulling our engagement caused my father to worry! Vlad, this obsession of yours has gotten out of hand! What is it about that woman that is better than me for you to put the Noapte Clan in jeopardy?!" ranted Vivian. After all she had to say, Vlad mentally snorted at her choice of words.

_ 'Me putting the clan in jeopardy because I annulled a simple engagement? More like my dear uncle is upset that the Noapte Clan is becoming farther out of his reach,' _ Vlad mockingly thought to himself, aware of his uncle's true intentions. _ 'After today, uncle will no longer be patient towards us.' _

After making her way back inside the castle, Rhia stumbled upon Lulubell, carrying a straw basket on her back like a backpack. From the looks of it, Rhia got the feeling that Lulubell was heading out on a trip and decided to question the girl about it. "Heading somewhere?"

Lulubell was surprised to see Rhia and happily answered the question directed towards herself. "Yes! I'm heading out to pick up some Dream Bloom herbs, since the castle pharmacy is running low on them. Not to mention how they are very low staff, so they need an extra pair of hands helping them out," explained Lulubell.

"Hmm, is that so..." Tapping her chin, innerly debating with herself, Rhia nodded her head once she reached her answer. "Lulubell, how about I tag along with you? All this time I've never once journeyed outside the palace. Plus, I bet I should start getting familiar with my surroundings."

"Okay, but I should inform master before we set off." Rhia stood there, only to have her eyes widen in shock when she saw a small cute-looking bat appear from out of Lulubell’s hand. Once the creature received her letter, Rhia watched as it took off. After that was taken care of, they made their way out of the palace. Along the way, Lulubell informed Rhia of the medicine herb they were searching for, which was in a location not too far away. The scenery outside was dark and eerie; the land was dominated by thick forest trees. The temperature was cool but not to the point of freezing.

Looking up at the sky, Rhia was greeted with a gray sky void of clouds. The sun was nowhere in sight, making her conclude that the sun must be nonexistent here in the Dark Lands. It didn't take long for the two to enter a cave which was pitch-black inside, but Rhia found herself seeing things just as clear as she would in daylight. Walking farther up ahead, Rhia saw a beacon of light that grew more intense the deeper they journeyed. After a few more steps ahead, the view that greeted Rhia was a spacious, round area with tunnels located east and west of each other.

Located at the very center was a small group of tiny stem plants, shimmering like violets jewels. The light emitted from them was so bright that it lit up the entire area. "Pretty," Rhia murmured in awe, unaware when Lulubell’s face changed expression when her ears picked up on something.

“Be on guard, Lady Rhia. Dangerous monsters live in this cave and I think one of them is about to make their appearance.” Hearing this, added with the serious look painted in Lulubell’s face, Rhia immediately panic! All Rhia wanted was to do a little exploring, familiarize herself with the land, not run into danger. 

Able to read the panic written on Rhia’s face, Lulubell consoled her by saying, “Don’t worry, Lady Rhia, I’m familiar with the monsters that dwell here. I’ll definitely be able to protect you.” Staring at that cute smiling face, filled with confidence, put Rhia’s fear at ease but that didn’t stop her from jumping with fright when she saw four tree-looking monsters pop up from out of the ground. 

“What on earth are those things?” Rhia felt as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest, staring at the plant-monsters that resembled trees except there was a scary-looking face plastered on the trunk; attached to the branches were roses with snapping vampire's teeth.

“Blood-Sucking Orchis! A Fiendish-level threat monster. They disguise themselves in caves and are known to ambush their prey when their guard is down in order to drink their blood. Also, they are highly protective of Dream Bloom herbs. Lady Rhia, please hide behind that rock while I take care of them,” instructed Lulubell as Rhia saw her point towards a large rock that was perfect for cover and ran towards it. 

Once Rhia’s safety was taken care of Lulubell quickly took out a dagger and rushed forward. Peeking from her shelter, Rhia watched as Lulubell swiftly took down the first monster. Fighting off the second, her lithe body twisted and flipped as she sliced off all the blood-sucking branches before she sliced the monster right in half. The last two caused a little trouble as Rhia couldn’t help but call out to the young vampire when a pair of vicious-looking teeth clamped down on her arm. 

Not bothered by the pain, Lulubell slice the branch that was sucking on her. Summoning a second dagger, she sent it hurtling towards the one that was trying to sneak up on her. Stabbing it straight at the trunk of the tree, it disintegrated into dust. Now that the threat was taken care of she was finally able to focus all of her attention onto the last creature and easily took care of it. 

_ ‘Phew, that should be all of them.’ _ Lulubell relaxed and called out to Rhia. “Lady Rhia, the threat has been-Ah!” A scream ripped its way from Lulubell’s throat, body lifting up into the air. Her body faced towards the monster that had concealed itself, waiting for its chance to seize her.

“Maa, it seems I have stumbled upon a cute looking rabbit,” said the voice of a woman. Behind the rock Rhia’s body broke out into a cold sweat, hand over her mouth, trembling at the monster that had Lulubell in her clutches. The monster’s lower body was that of a tree while the upper part was that of a woman with long green hair, covered in vampire teeth roses.

Locks of the woman’s hair extended out; Lulubell’s legs and arms had its flesh pierced by vicious vampire teeth that were draining blood from her. Face cringing with pain, blood oozing out the wounds, but not once did she cry out. “W-What are you? No way... are you a Fiendish-level threat monster,” questioned Lulubell.

“I’m a Beastly-level threat monster, the evolved form of a Blood-Sucking Orchis. By dieting on nothing but Dream Bloom herbs, I was able to ascend and by feeding on more, I may even transcend into a Calamity-level threat monster!” boosted the monster. “Now that the barrier has broken and magic now flows through these lands, the number of monsters is flooding! The times are beginning to change and if I don’t want to become prey than I must become strong! It’s just the way this world works.”

After the plant monster finished saying this, a scream ripped itself from Lulubell. “Feed my darlings~! Feed and give me her blood so I can become more powerful!”

Seeing Lulubell in pain caused tears to gather in Rhia’s eyes, not wanting the sweet girl, who had been nothing but a sweetheart to her, come to any physical harm. But what could she do? If Lulubell was unable to do anything against this monster, surely she would be just as hopeless. _ ‘Damn it! Damn it! Do something Rhia! Stop being such a coward and do something already!’ _ Rhia mentally yelled at herself, but no matter how much she screamed at herself, her legs refused to move.

Looking towards Lulubell again, Rhia caught sight of the girl mouthing something to her, and after decoding the message, her eyes widened with disbelief. _ ‘Despite her situation, she is telling me to run away? To leave her behind and think of my own safety first?’ _ Rhia was not fearless, not the type to rush in first into battle, nor did she possess the heart of the holy mother. She was a coward, a weakling, a nobody, but...

_ ‘I haven’t reached the point where I would abandon someone to save myself. Especially someone who treated me with nothing but kindness.’ _ Picking up the rock that lied next to her, Rhia gripped it in her hand, and overcome by a sudden rush of bravery, threw it toward the monster. Feeling something hitting its face, the creature turned towards her direction and met the glaring eyes of Rhia.

“Let Lulubell go, you crazy vampire monster!"


End file.
